Trump trial: Trump hit with contempt, witnesses detail Stormy Daniels deal

Gary Farro, under cross-examination, said that First Republic Bank did not open the account for Essential Consultants LLC for Michael Cohen to operate a shell company.

"I don't open up shell corporations," Farro, who was Cohen's banker, said of the LLC that was used for Cohen to send payment to Stormy Daniels in 2016. "Shell corporations that have no business behind them would give me pause."

While First Republic allows some accounts to be opened with limited transactions -- such as an account for an LLC to own a property or aircraft -- the account created by Cohen had the listed business purpose of "investment consulting" work, according to evidence.

Farro added that the information that Cohen provided -- such as not listing himself as someone's agent -- allowed the account to be opened quicker.

"Not only would it raise more questions, but it would require more paperwork," Farro said.

Under cross-examination by defense attorney Todd Blanche, Michael Cohen's former banker testified about his first interactions with Cohen.

Gary Farro said his boss introduced him to Michael Cohen in Cohen's office in Trump Tower.

"He was a challenging client because of his desire to get things done so quickly," Farro said. "Ninety percent of the time, it was an urgent matter."

Farro said that his supervisors removed Cohen as his client in 2017, as the details about the transactions in question "went public."

"They didn't want me to have communication with the client any longer," Farro said.

Prosecutor Becky Mangold concluded her direct examination of banker Gary Farro by asking if First Republic Bank would have still permitted the wire transfer to Stormy Daniels if Michael Cohen disclosed the money was going to an adult film actress.

"There would definitely have been enhanced due diligence on that," Farro said, adding that the due diligence would have delayed the payment.

"We might consider that a reputational risk," Farro added.

After prosecutors completed their direct examination of Gary Farro, defense attorney Todd Blanche began his cross-examination.

Michael Cohen's former banker, Gary Farro, returned to the stand, where he was asked by prosecutor Becky Mangold about Cohen's frantic effort to create a bank account for a new company he created called Essential Consultants LLC on October 26, 2016.

Referring to Stormy Daniels, Farro told jurors that Cohen did not disclose the account would be used to send money to an adult film actress, adding that his bank, First Republic, avoided financing the adult-entertainment sector.

Farro said that Cohen added $131,000 to an account for Essential Consultants LLC using a home equity line of credit.

Farro then began walking jurors through a wire transfer authorization form that was filled out on October 27, 2016, using information provided by Michael Cohen.

The form -- which was signed by Cohen -- listed that $130,000 was being wired to Keith Davidson's attorney-client trust account. The money would be held in the account for Davidson's client.

According to the form, the purpose of the wire was a "retainer" payment.

Cohen completed the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels on October 27, 2016, which was 12 days before the presidential election.